Nicola Roy, a writer for the Spare Time section, shares a simple way to make frozen chips tastier in an air fryer by swapping salt for a specific seasoning. The key ingredient is Kerala Chinese salt and pepper seasoning, available from B&M. This seasoning transforms bland frozen chips into flavourful, restaurant-quality chips.
The Problem with Bland Chips
Nothing disappoints quite like a bland chip. On far too many occasions, a portion of what should be gloriously golden fries arrives completely lacking seasoning. While a decent dipping sauce can rescue a flavourless chip, it should not have to do all the work. Sauces can occasionally be overwhelmingly strong, whereas a light dusting of seasoning simply brings out the flavour without affecting the texture.
The Secret Ingredient
Roy's chips deliver on flavour every single time, thanks to a jar of Kerala Chinese salt and pepper seasoning picked up from B&M. It instantly transforms chips from dull and tasteless to packed with flavour. The seasoning is an absolute godsend, she says.
How to Make the Tastiest Oven Chips
The method is simple but involves a few stages to achieve golden, delicious chips. First, the equipment: an air fryer is the ideal choice, as it requires the least amount of time and produces far crunchier results than a conventional oven ever could.
The chips themselves matter just as much. After experimenting with several different frozen varieties, the Aldi skin-on fries consistently come out on top, offering the finest quality taste and crisping up beautifully in the air fryer.
Cook the chips at 180°C for 20 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through. On occasion, they may need an additional couple of minutes to turn truly crispy and golden.
The Coating Process
Once the time is up, reach for a large stainless steel bowl. This is an incredibly useful piece of kit, making it effortless to toss and coat ingredients, with no risk of anything absorbing into the material. Tip the chips in, followed by a small drizzle of olive oil to help the seasoning stick, then add that all-important flavouring. Roughly a teaspoon per portion tends to deliver the best results. Give everything a good toss, ensuring the chips are thoroughly and evenly coated. After that, all that remains is to plate up and tuck in.
Results and Recommendation
This technique makes the chips exceptionally crispy, while delivering the bold flavours reminiscent of your go-to Chinese takeaway. If you are preparing dinner this weekend and fancy elevating your chips to new heights, Roy thoroughly recommends trying a salt and pepper seasoning.
